RMERF counts March 8

Friday, March 8 Mount Lorette [Day 7] 0930-1815 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rachel McKay). As all the ridges were obscured with the exception of Mount Lorette the observers remained at Barrier Lake to the north of the site until 1200 before moving to the Hay Meadow when clearing occurred. The temperature at 0930 was -5C, the high was 1C between 1400 and 1600 and it was -3C at the end of observation. Winds were W all day, 30-40 km/h at Barrier Lake and 5-10 gusting 20 km/h at Hay Meadow, while ridge winds were strong W all day. Cloud cover was 100% stratus and altostratus to 1600 after which it reduced to 70%, but apart from light snow flurries at Barrier Lake there was no precipitation. In the afternoon the east ridges were obscured 20% of the time and the west was largely obscured only reducing to 20% at 1800. The only migrants seen were 2 adult Bald Eagles that flew to the north above the river, one at 1405 and the second at 1740. Twenty-five Bohemian Waxwings were seen at Barrier Lake, and other birds seen at Hay Meadow were 4 Common Ravens, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Boreal Chickadees, 1 American Dipper and 50 Common Redpolls. Two visitors were at the site today.

8.75 hours (61.16) BAEA 2 (4) TOTAL 2 (4)

Friday, March 8 Beaver Mines [Day 7] 0700-0910, 1000-1815 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson); 0910-1000 (Gord Petersen). The temperature at 0700 was -6C, the high was -1C between 1400 and 1600 and it was -3C at 1815. Winds were WSW-W all day 20-30 gusting to 55 km/h to 1500 and 20-30 km/h for the rest of the day. It was cloudless all day with only traces of cumulus cloud to the S and SW. There was again a slow but steady eagle movement between 0833 and 1718 of 16 birds comprising 4 adult Bald Eagles and 12 adult Golden Eagles all of which glided high to the N or NW. At 0745 a resident adult Golden Eagle greeted the sunny day by displaying low above the hill and the pair together with a resident juvenile bird were seen on 5 further occasions during the day. Other birds seen were 11 Rock Pigeons, 5 Downy Woodpeckers, 9 Blue Jays, 34 Common Ravens, with no obvious roosting movement, 6 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Mountain Chickadees, 25 Evening Grosbeaks, 13 Common Redpolls, 20 White-winged Crossbills. 34 Pine Siskins and 6 Dark-eyed Juncos (3 hyamelis and 3 montanus).

11.25 (77.5) BAEA 4 (9), GOEA 12 (19) TOTAL 16 (31)

Friday, March 8 Steeples [Day 5] 1200-1715 (Vance Mattson). The temperature was 3C, winds were W light to moderate and cloud cover was 60-80% cumulus that produced periods of sunshine. Three adult migrant Bald Eagles seen between 1352 and 1409 were the first migrants recorded at the site this season. The resident juvenile Golden Eagle was seen on two occasions including a period of extended soaring at 1200, and a single resident adult was seen twice, once perching relatively low at 1430.

About RMERF

Since 1992, Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation (RMERF) volunteers have performed annual raptor migration counts at the same site location in the Kananaskis Country, Alberta, spring and fall; significantly providing data to the understanding of and amazement in watching Golden Eagles.